Alternate Millennium (Title in Progress)
By Chmia
Beta-Readers:
Author’s Notes: This fan-fiction takes place after Sailor Moon Stars, but it will not concern the formation of Crystal Tokyo. There will be a little bit of time-travel, but don’t worry too much about that. I’ll try to keep it minimal and I will always tell you what the setting is, so you know what time period you are in.
On a completely unrelated side-note, I will not be using random Japanese words in this story. I do not claim to know Japanese at all, so it would be ridiculous if I attempted to use “baka” or whatever every now and then. However, I will use the Japanese version, when I know them, of the names of the characters.
In this particular chapter, I lost about four to five pages of text when my computer got a virus and the hard drive crashed. Contrary to popular belief, a Mac can get a virus… or at least mine can. Hopefully, that means the “second draft” is much improved. ^^
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A Brief Look Into Chapter Three:
First Setting: The Silver Millennium
Neither of us can deny, we are both children of the moon,” the older woman spoke, “My name is Minerva and I wish to hear your story.” Usagi felt disbelieving, anxious, and excited, but a feeling of terror was beginning to creep and settle in her heart. Sailor Pluto had warned her of the consequences if anyone were to recognize her as the princess of the moon.
After years of carrying a burden that she was unable to share with anyone, Minerva felt relieved by Usagi’s presence. A tear slipped from her eye and she quickly reached up to wipe it away, but Usagi’s slender hand halted Minerva. “Minerva,” Usagi whispered, her voice filled with unexpressed emotion. A low moan built in the older woman’s throat until something broke. She collapsed in Usagi’s outstretched arms and wept.
“Thank you, Miss Usagi,” Mary chirped happily while quickly placing the offered food in her mouth. “Please, call me Usagi. I want to be your friend, not your elder.” Usagi lightly reprimanded with a gentle smile. Mary beamed, placed the plate on her own lap, and scooted closer to the young woman.
Second Setting: The Silver Millennium
The palace had not been abandoned, despite its current state. Deep within, away from prying eyes, Beryl sat in a magnificent throne and ruled over a cowering, disorderly kingdom with her corrupting influence. The rubble of the palace suited her. It served as a tangible proof of her conquest and slaughter of the royal family and everything they had once held dear. Yes, the ruins on the moon were also tangible proof, but Beryl did not wish to reside there. The moon was now devoid of life and what was the point of ruling if you could not see the peasants cower and beg at your feet for one more chance at life?
However, some still struggled to keep the memory of King Endymion and his once magnificent kingdom alive. Underneath a precariously perched tree that had been uprooted, an old man knelt under the moonlight with his hands cupped against the ground. His darkened, wrinkled skin provided him some protection in the dark of the night, but he had no worry of being caught. The only thing that preoccupied his thoughts was coaxing the little seedling to sprout and live without fear.
Well, I’m not here to watch some old man water a few plants with his tears. We have other things to do.” Sailor Uranus said, hushing her voice so as not to be heard by the old man. “Not that I appreciate Sailor Pluto sending us to do her dirty work.” Standing, she raised the sword again and it vanished from her outstretched hand.
“She is unable to leave the Time Gate for long periods of time, especially now that it the time stream is being used by unknowing demons.” Sailor Neptune lightly reprimanded, grasping an ornate mirror in her hands. She gazed into the depths of the mirror, bit her lip, and shook her head. “I am given no insight into Beryl’s plans.”
“Than, we’ll just have to find information another way,” Sailor Uranus said with a smirk.
Chapter Four: The Devastation of a Fallen Kingdom
First Setting: Silver Millennium
Outside of Minerva’s household, terror and chaos brewed in the streets of the city under the safety of the dark of the night. Shrieks of pain and laughter grew as the flames of a recent fire licked the insides of a building clean. An eager mob surrounded the building, but, unable to contain their lust, people swarmed the burning building and surrounding area for possible loot. Little was to be found, but that did not prevent the crazed from fighting each other for what little treasure there was to be found.
A little girl perched on a small wooden bench next to the window in the sleeping room. Mary had been woken by the terrible on-goings outside and, unable to sleep, had peeked out the window to see what was happening. The sight frightened her, but she was unable to pull her eyes away. Similar events had happened last night and, foolishly, she had tried to seek comfort by waking her mother. Afterwards, her older brother had relentlessly called her “the baby of the family,” despite her being older than Jonathan. Mary had been so embarrassed by her own actions that she did not want to wake up her mother or brothers again.
She whimpered softly in fright and began to crawl down from the bench, but the sudden appearance of a face in the window frightened her. Mary was too frightened to scream or move, but when the man reached out to touch her through the opening of the window, the little girl fell of the bench with a shriek. The shriek of her child quickly roused Minerva, who jolted forward from her bed mat. “Children!” She called out fearfully, reaching in the dark to touch William and Jonathan. “Mary,” she whispered, hoping her daughter had suffered a nightmare.
The little girl whimpered in pain as lay on the ground and clutched her pain. During her fall, she had struck her head on the wooden bench. “I’m fine, mother,” Mary stammered, shrinking under the disapproving glare of William, who had also awoken. “Just go to sleep,” he hissed, turning over with a huff. Minerva gently scolded her son with a swat to the head, “Do be quiet, William.”
“Mary, come back to sleep.” Her mother gently commanded, patting the empty space in the bedding next to her. Biting her bottom lip, Mary quietly considered the offer for a few moments, but firmly shook her head. “I’m going to visit the washroom,” she whispered.
“She probably soiled herself out of sheer fright,” William snickered, earning him another smack from his mother.
Flushing from embarrassment, Mary dashed out of the room before her mother could rise from the bedding and retrieve her daughter. To her own horror, William had been right. She cried and squirmed uncomfortably in her soiled garments, but she did not want to go back into the sleeping room, especially when it would prove William right! Instead, she ran to the only other person in the household that could help her, Usagi.
The small child flung herself at Usagi’s side, but hesitated. She was scared that Usagi would be mean, too, and make fun of her for being such a baby. Tentatively, she reached out with one finger and poked the young woman. When she did not rouse from her sleep, Mary felt her spirits sink. “Usagi?” She pleaded, shaking the blonde’s arm. “Please, wake up. I need your help.”
Still, she did not wake, but instead snorted loudly. Mary’s eyes widened and then she giggled when Usagi snorted for a second time. Momentarily, she forgot about the creepy person staring through the bedroom window and, instead, delighted in Usagi’s humorous antics. This only lasted for a short time, because no matter how humorous, the problem was not solved and Usagi had still not awakened. After having suffered a frightening scare and mortifying humiliation, Mary felt overwhelmed and frustrated when no one seemed able or willing to help her. Tears brimmed in the young girl’s eyes and she began to cry.
The sobs of the young girl in distress woke Usagi from her slumber. Groaning, she rubbed her eyes and blearily looked ahead. For a moment, she seemed unable to comprehend what was going on, but she quickly woke up once realization dawned on Usagi. “Mary, what’s wrong?” She asked, still sounding rather groggy and disoriented. “Please, don’t cry and tell me what happened.”
Mary started to crawl toward Usagi, but stopped when she remembered her soiled clothing. Ashamed, she continued to cry and instead turned away from the help she had been seeking. Usagi sat up and reached for the girl’s clothing to pull her closer or get her attention. “I-I,” Mary hiccupped.
“A man came to the window and frightened me. William teased me, because I soiled my undergarments out of fright.” Mary said quietly, looking at the ground.
Although not yet a mother, Usagi had changed her fair share of bed sheets and pajamas when Chibi-Usa was younger. Back then, Usagi had only been infuriated that her bed had been ruined, so she reacted by yelling and spanking Chibi-Usa rather than comforting her. She had since learned better. “Let’s get cleaned up and you can tell me what happened, alright?”
Usagi smiled gently as she kicked back the blankets. While Mary removed her clothing, Usagi retrieved a washcloth and filled a small bucket with water. The child patiently waited with her hands behind her back and her eyes intently focused on the ground, as if she was still waiting to receive her punishment. Usagi wrung out the washcloth and cleaned Mary. Although she tried not to show it, she was concerned about Mary’s earlier statement. A man had been at the window…
“Here, you finish while I clean your pajamas.” Usagi said, handing Mary the washcloth. “What happened? You said a man was at your window.”
Mary took the washcloth and remained silent for a few moments. “I woke up when I heard a lot of noise outside. I looked out the window to see out the window and… a man suddenly showed up out of nowhere. He… He tried to touch me, but I screamed.” She wrung the washcloth in her hands, still unable to look Usagi in the eyes. “He scared me so badly that I soiled myself.” The pink blush spread across Mary’s cheeks as she told her tale of woe. She was truly ashamed. “My brother teased me, so I left the room quietly.” After a long pause, she whispered, “thank you, Usagi.”
Unfortunately, Usagi knew entirely too well the sting teasing from a sibling could leave on a young girl’s emotions and self-confidence. She also knew the resulting, but momentary, return of self-confidence by seeking revenge or returning the teasing comments. However, she was not about to tell Mary to resort to such measures. “Do not listen to a word of what your brother said tonight. It must have been very scary and I’m glad you felt comfortable coming to me for help.”
Wringing the clothing above the small bucket, Usagi stood up to place the clothing by the window to dry. “In the meantime, why don’t you wear one of my shirts to bed?” Usagi offered, knowing full well that she had very little clothing to spare, but she could not have Mary go to bed with no clothes. She would make due with her traveling cloak until morning. Mary, thankful for the offer, nodded eagerly.
“Yes, please,” she said, politely. Mary grabbed the bucket and went to place it by the back door, so she would remember to empty it first thing in the morning. Upon returning, Usagi handed her a shirt, which Mary gladly slipped into. Before Mary could return to her room, the older woman embraced her and kissed her on the forehead. “Have a good nights sleep.”
Usagi, however, had a heavier heart than Mary for the rest of the night. Before going to bed, she looked out the window for the man that had frightened Mary. She did not see anything, but that did not quell her worries and fears.
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Breakfast had been eaten, but the remains had not fully been cleaned and properly stowed away. The children, having completed their small share of chores related to breakfast, had run to their respective parts of the small house to finish the rest of their chores before being allowed to play until the mid-day meal. Usagi, wanting to be a polite houseguest, had offered to clean up breakfast and leave Minerva to whatever struck her fancy.
Usagi was taking the cleaning at a slower pace than Minerva would have liked, not that she was present to judge, but the blonde woman had a lot to think about. It was very nice for Minerva to allow Usagi to stay and she adored all three of the children, but deep down in a place filled with regret, Usagi knew that she needed to figure out her next step and leave. These were the first people to show her kindness since she arrived and, unfortunately, there was a possibility that they might be the last people to show their true inner spirits. Everyone else on Earth had been corrupted and had his or her true inner spirits pushed aside. Yes, she firmly believed that there was still goodness in each heart, but that its light had been snuffed out by Beryl and the ensuing circumstances of her rule.
Usagi was certain she knew the general direction of Beryl’s domain and, obviously, she needed to continue traveling in that direction. Hopefully, she could find out some useful information along the way. Maybe she could infiltrate the castle? Usagi smoothed a short giggle when she imagined herself clad in a long trench coat with a dark hat on her head, a pipe in her mouth, and a magnifying glass in one hand. It could actually work, maybe. Back when she first became Sailor Moon, the Dark Kingdom had no idea who Usagi truly was, so maybe, they might not figure it out this time. Of course, she would have to change her appearance more drastically.
The most telling part of her appearance was her hair. Usagi wiped her hands on a towel and then gently twirled a piece of her hair in-between her fingers with a pained sigh. She loved her hair, even if other people thought the “odango” on either side of her hair looked weird. Cutting it would bring her to tears and it would take years to grow it to its current length. However… Usagi paused in the wiping of the counters to recollect. When she had first discovered she had been Princess Serenity in a previous life, her hair had grown three or five inches over night. In order to prevent her tripping over the long tresses, Usagi had to trim her hair very often. She would likely just have to ask Minerva if there was anyway to change her hair color. Usagi had always wondered what she would look like with a darker color.
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An hour later, Usagi crouched on her knees with her hair submerged in a bucket of goopy, dark water with Minerva’s fingers working the mixture throughout the long, long hair. The process had already elapsed thirty minutes and, in all likelihood, would take another thirty minutes to get the blonde hair dark enough. Minerva had managed to find an old drop cloth, which had been turned into Usagi’s cloak for the time being. It did smell, but it was tolerable. Kneeling for so long on her knees, however, was not so tolerable. Usagi shifted back and forth while flexing her toes. “I apologize, but more time shall have to pass before your hair reaches the dark tone that you desire, Usagi.”
“Sorry,” Usagi said, “I didn’t mean to complain. I’m just not used to sitting like this for so long. I’ve never dyed my hair before.”
“I am uncertain as to why you wish to color your hair. Truly, it was a beautiful shade.”
“I guess I just want a change.”
The two stayed silent for a moment before Usagi started to break the silence with another question about Earth’s current circumstances. It was a little difficult to word the questions, because Minerva had no idea that Usagi had not lived during this time period. She was able to hide under the guise that she had lived on the moon for her whole life and, therefore, did not know the intimate details about life on Earth. It was fascinating to hear Minerva talk. Much more fascinating than history class had ever been and, in general, the two were talking about the same subjects.
“Well, the circumstances have changed in recent years, but…” Minerva was interrupted by a short, shrill scream from somewhere outside the house. Usagi quickly flung her hair back, covering the two women and various parts of the room in dank water, and jumped to her feet in a loose, defensive position. Having fought for peoples’ well being and safety for years, Usagi flung the drop cloth aside and rushed out the side door before Minerva could get to her feet. The instinct to yell out her henshin had to be fought down or else she would blow her cover.
When Usagi arrived outside, her heart leapt into her throat. Tears flowed freely down Jonathan’s cheeks and his screams grew louder as she approached. The little boy toddled over to her and threw his arms around her leg. William was rooted to his spot underneath the tree. He didn’t cry and he didn’t wail, but tears threatened to brim at any moment. His eyes turned to meet his mother, who stood frozen in the doorway. Mary was nowhere in sight.
“Mary?” Usagi called hesitantly. “Mary?” Her voice was over-powered by Minerva’s frantic cries for her daughter. The oldest woman ran to collect her youngest child in her arms as she continued to call for Mary. Her tears and Jonathan’s tears mingled in a flow of despair and anxiety.
The sound of Mary’s name broke whatever resolve the oldest child had possessed. As Usagi approached William, he began to cry and frantically explain what had happened to his sister. “I did not mean for this!”
“Shh, William, tell me what happened.”
“I dared Mary to pluck an egg from the nest in this tree. It would have tasted wonderful.” William said after a loud snort and sniffle. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and allowed Usagi to comfort him with a gentle hand and voice. “While she was in the tree, a man came and took her!” He could not bring himself to look into Usagi’s eyes anymore, so he pushed away from her. “I did nothing to stop him. I was too scared.”
“William, our fear will makes us stronger in the end. Don’t be ashamed.”
William looked uncertain about Usagi’s statement, but her earnestness made him want to believe her. Just her presence was soothing, but he was still terribly worried about his younger sister. He should have believed her last night about the man in the window! It had probably been him that took her just now. “I-I think it was the man from last night. He took her that way.” He said, pointing toward the escape route. “Please, Usagi, bring her back.” He begged, taking her hand while using his other hand to wipe his tears.
He was not sure why he believed in this young woman to bring his sister back home safely, but Usagi seemed to radiate love, hope, and strength. She made him feel stronger. “I will, but stay strong and protect your family. Go find your mom and make sure you all stay inside. I will try to come back as soon as I can with Mary.”
William, determined to once again prove his worth and protect what family he had left, ran to find his mother and younger brother. He would keep them safe.
Without hesitation, Usagi ran in the direction that William had indicated. If she hurried, the man would not get too far ahead. She hoped that she would be able to find and follow the trail that he had taken. Please, please, let Mary be all right and let me get there in time before anything happens. I can’t let anything happen to her! The guilt and fear nearly tore her heart in two. If she weren’t strong enough, an innocent would suffer. The other senshi were not here to help and all the strength and will had to come from her alone.
The consequences be damned. Usagi would do everything she could to save this little girl from harm and in order to be at her strongest, she had to be Sailor Moon.
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Author’s Final Notes: Oh yes, this is likely shorter than the other chapters, but damn it has taken me way too long to get this chapter out. Instead of waiting for the desired length, I decided to end it at a specific scene, just so the chapter would be finished.
